


(pull me apart) to discover the sea

by sehnsvcht



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Multi, Slice of Life, yixing loves his boyfriend(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 10:12:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10965141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sehnsvcht/pseuds/sehnsvcht
Summary: “I’ve never seen the ocean,” Junmyeon had once said—so Baekhyun and Yixing bring the ocean to him, on his birthday.





	(pull me apart) to discover the sea

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in an afternoon, because I thought it was only fair to write something for Junmyeon's birthday, right? It might become a habit of mine, who knows.
> 
> Since I've just finished a story set by the sea (or rather, the ocean), I thought it wouldn't hurt to write yet another—especially since Junmyeon had chosen the word "sea" in one of the _EX'ACT_ posters and it hasn't left my mind since. Title also comes from the song "[Sea](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b9boayDR5w)" by Roosevelt.
> 
> The OT3 is (almost) completely gratuitous. I might have written it that way for Sarah, though, because she's the best cheerleader one could ever hope for. And also because I love (Su)BaekXing. :)
> 
> Happy birthday, Kim Junmyeon!

“I’ve never seen the ocean,” Junmyeon had once said, late at night in March, when the three of them were in bed and Yixing had thought he was the only one awake. It was one of those nights where they had spent the entire time talking, taking tiny sips of liquor in between, exchanging kisses when they felt like it. Music had been playing from Baekhyun’s phone, before he turned it off when late night turned into early morning and it was time for the lot of them to sleep.

Baekhyun’s ballads were still playing softly in Yixing’s mind, like a background melody to Junmyeon’s hushed words.

He didn’t move, didn’t ask why Junmyeon is still awake. Instead, Yixing inquired, “Never?”

“Never,” Junmyeon had said, his voice still so soft and whispered so low it’s as though he hadn’t spoken at all. “I guess it’s a little hard to believe, isn’t it? Living my entire life in a place like Korea and never once taking the trip down to the coast.”

Yixing hadn’t known what to say, so he had kept quiet for a short while, letting their out of sync breath patterns fill in the silence. It was only when he heard Junmyeon sigh, maybe out of fatigue, that he spoke up. “I’ll take you, one day, Junmyeon-ah.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Junmyeon had said, smile obvious in his sleep-heavy voice.

It’s only months later that Yixing is reminded of it. When Baekhyun plumps in the passenger seat as he picks him up from work, it comes out of Yixing’s mouth almost on its own.

“Let’s go to the beach.”

“Wait—what?” Baekhyun asks, dumbfounded. There’s still tiny little stains of eyeshadow spread out across his fingers. “Hyung, we already have plans, tonight.”

“I know,” Yixing says, because he knows, but… “But hear me out, okay? I think I have an idea.”

They have plans, sure—today is Junmyeon’s birthday, after all, and they had decided on a very nice restaurant to spend the evening at, and come the weekend, they have Jongdae’s club booked to throw him the biggest birthday party any 26-year-old would dream of (or so Jongdae had said).

For tonight, especially, everything is into place—the reservation at that nice vegan restaurant in Gangnam Junmyeon likes, the too-expensive champagne is in Yixing’s trunk, the gifts in Baekhyun’s bag. Really, all they need to do is go home where their boyfriend awaits, dress nicely, and show up at the restaurant for the night to begin.

But Junmyeon has never seen the ocean and Yixing wants to show him. “Let’s cancel the reservation, Baekhyunnie.”

Baekhyun opens his mouth, closes it. Opens it again. Yixing still hasn’t driven away from the studio. “You’ve got to be kidding me, hyung. It took me weeks to get the table!”

“I know, I know, but listen, okay?” Yixing reaches for Baekhyun’s hand across the gears and laces their fingers together. “We can go any other time this week, right? At lunch, when it’s less busy. Or some other time this month, I don’t know.”

“But Junmyeon loves this place,” Baekhyun pouts.

“Junmyeon once told me he’s never seen the ocean, too,” Yixing says. “And I don’t know why I just remembered, but… I promised I would take him.”

“And you didn’t bother telling me?”

Yixing rolls his eyes affectionately, smiling at Baekhyun’s persistent pout. “You were _asleep_ ,” he says. “And I forgot about it the next morning, to be honest.”

“We can go to the beach any other time too, though, you know. It doesn’t have to be today.”

“But maybe it does,” Yixing insists. “It’s his birthday today, Baekhyun. Pretty please? We’re already off early, so. It won’t take long to pack and get there.”

It’s true. It’s only about four in the afternoon, and they could make it to Eurwangni in about two hours, tops, if they catch the next train to the airport. From there, they can take the bus to the beach, and spend the night in some cheap guesthouse by the coast, and be back the next day just in time for them all to get to work in time.

Or maybe they’ll have to call the day off. Whatever.

“This is so sudden, though,” Baekhyun remarks. “Are you sure about this?”

Yixing thinks of Junmyeon’s smile under the late evening sun, of Junmyeon’s hair ruffled by the sea breeze, of Junmyeon’s wistful sigh that one night months ago. “Definitely. Let’s give it a try? Surprises are always the best kind of gift, aren’t they?”

“We’re supposed to be in on the surprise ahead of time, Yixing,” Baekhyun sighs, but there’s a shy smile ghosting over his lips. Yixing is winning.

He brings their joined hands to his mouth, leaving a soft peck on Baekhyun’s knuckles, and watches him from under his eyelashes as Baekhyun melts under his touch. He uses his lower tone when he says, “Come on, Baekhyun. Live a little.”

“Jesus Christ, hyung, you know _exactly_ what you’re doing to me,” murmurs Baekhyun, but then he sighs again, resigned, and maybe smiling a little. “Fine, fine. I’ll cancel off the reservation now. Drive us home, old man. We have to be quick.”

Yixing smiles at him, and Baekhyun reaches to poke at his dimple. They let go of each other, Yixing starting up the car and Baekhyun buckling his seat belt and reaching for his phon. “Let’s go.”

***

“Happy birthday! Time to pack your bags, hyung.”

Those are Baekhyun’s words when they step foot home, and Junmyeon is looking at them, incredulous, spoon of yogurt still halfway in the air pointing towards his mouth. “Oh.”

Baekhyun runs to him, crushes him into a tight hug and leaving a smacking kiss on his cheek. “We love you.”

“I—yeah, me too, but—pack? Are we going somewhere?”

“The beach,” Baekhyun answers. He heads straight for their bedroom, from where he continues speaking. “Yixing-hyung is being a sap and wants you to _see the ocean_.”

From where he’s still standing in the hall, Yixing shrugs, hiding his blush as best as he can in the shadows of the afternoon. “I promised you,” he murmurs, but he knows Junmyeon must hear him. “If I can’t show you the ocean, I can show you the sea, right?”

He looks up to find him smiling, small and still a little shocked, and it makes Yixing chuckle. “Really?” Junmyeon breathes out. The spoonful of yogurt is still hanging in the air next to his mouth. “Like, seriously? But I didn’t—you guys didn’t let me plan anything—”

“Oh, believe us, neither did we.” Baekhyun pokes his head out of the bedroom doorframe, pointing to Yixing with a dancing finger. “Hyung was being all spontaneous and romantic about it in the car. And, well. I can’t say no to either of you, so.”

Junmyeon’s eyes don’t leave Yixing even as he laughs at Baekhyun’s words. “Spontaneous and romantic, huh? So we’re really taking off to the coast, just like that?”

Yixing nods. He approaches Junmyeon, takes the spoon out of his hands and eats the yogurt off of it. Junmyeon startles, having seemingly forgotten about his snack. “We are. Come on, let’s pack.”

Junmyeon smiles at him, eyes lost in two tiny half-moon slits, and reaches up to peck Yixing’s mouth, simple and dazzling at once. “Okay, let’s go.”

The entire train ride is spent answering Junmyeon’s questions—“Did you guys really not plan this at all? Yixing, how did you remember? Isn’t Baekhyun afraid of water?” “I am _not_ afraid, thank you very much!”—and Yixing answers at the best of his capacity, or sometimes sitting back and letting his boyfriends bicker if he isn’t taking part of it.

Excitement is thrumming in his veins already, and he can’t begin to imagine how Junmyeon must be feeling. It shows, though, a little; in the way he keeps darting his eyes to the window they’re seated next to, eyes curious even if he’s obviously trying not to show how eager he is. He keeps smiling tiny, tiny smiles, which Baekhyun keeps cooing and snickering at, before Junmyeon reprimands him and whines, “It’s my _birthday_ , can you stop teasing me for even two minutes?”

In those moments, when both Yixing and Baekhyun dote and tease on him like this, it almost feels like Junmyeon is the youngest of the three, not the oldest.

They barely manage to catch the bus from the train station, but Yixing’s fast running pace gets him the last three tickets to Eurwangni Beach. He brandishes them grandly to the other two, and Baekhyun whoops and shouts while Junmyeon flashes him the widest smile Yixing has ever seen.

“We’re taking you to the sea, hyung,” Baekhyun breathes out in his hair as they climb in the bus, and Junmyeon hums, pleased.

The drive lets them discover the stunning blue of the sea from the window, pale as it stretches from the pale sand and getting bluer as it gets lost in the sea. Baekhyun starts singing loudly, but he barely gets any bad looks from the other passengers—one little girl even joins him from the front of the bus, and Yixing’s laughter rings so loud it makes Junmyeon smile, too.

When they finally, finally reach the beach, Junmyeon breathes one deep inhale before he says, “We’re here.”

“Here we are, indeed,” Baekhyun nods. “All thanks to Xing-hyung.”

“I love you,” Junmyeon says, shy but genuine smile splitting his face in half. Yixing’s heart melts. “Both of you.”

“You’d better,” Baekhyun snorts. “I almost got jealous, just now.”

Yixing takes Junmyeon’s hand in his left, and Baekhyun’s in his right. “Come on, boys. Let’s go.”

***

The sea, as it turns out, fascinates Junmyeon.

After their one-night stay gets figured out quickly, at some local guesthouse Baekhyun knows of (God bless Baekhyun and his infinite connections, really), they head straight to the beach. This early in the evening, crowds are scarce, even more so as the May weather doesn’t exactly allow for prolonged swims—if at all, really. The three of them didn’t even bother with swimming trunks, but Junmyeon didn’t mind, either. He was happy dipping his feet in the water, watching the waves rise and fall at his toes, tickling his ankles.

Yixing watches him from where he stands, next to him, his own feet in the water. Junmyeon’s profile is lit up by the sun behind him, making his soft brown hair shine almost golden at the edges, perfect traits standing out even more in the evening sun. It’s a lot like what he’d imagined, and more—better, more stunning, more… just _more_ , really.

Junmyeon breathes slow, peaceful breaths next to him, hands in his jean pockets, allure relaxed and oh so pleased. It’s such a good look on him, Yixing thinks.

“It’s just as beautiful as I had imagined.”

“Is it?”

Junmyeon nods slowly. “Even more so, even. I knew the sea was beautiful—I mean, everyone knows. Everyone has seen pictures of it. Everyone has seen it, on TV, whatever. But this,” he nods towards the endless expanse of blue ahead of them, “this is so much better. There’s so much about it that you can’t get from a picture, you know.”

“Like what?” Yixing asks, because although he has an idea of his own, he wants Junmyeon to tell him, he wants that soft spark in his eyes to glow brighter.

The soft smile that accompanies Junmyeon’s words is worth it, too. “The feeling, Yixing,” he says. “The wind that brushes past you. The sound of the waves—you can hear that on tape, fine, but you don’t get to feel them splash against your ankles, though. And the smell, too.” He pauses, turns to look at Yixing, his smile softening even more. “And the company. That’s probably the best thing.”

Yixing rolls his eyes, bumps Junmyeon’s shoulder with his own. “I guess it’s not that bad, yeah.”

Junmyeon catches his arm, slides down his hand until it reaches Yixing’s and holds it. “It’s the best, I’m telling you.”

They stand there in silence, for a little while longer, just basking in each other’s presence, until Yixing’s grumbling stomach cuts through the silence and they both start laughing. “I’ll go grab a bite,” he says. “You coming?”

“I’m good,” says Junmyeon. He squeezes Yixing’s hand before letting go.

Yixing walks back to their towel, and finds Baekhyun awake from his nap, tiny sand castle rising up from the ground. “Having fun?”

“Mmh,” Baekhyun smiles up at him, cheeks round and red. He scrunches his nose when Yixing sits down next to him, feet wet and covered in sand. “Isn’t the water too cold?”

“It is, a little,” Yixing shrugs. He picks up the bag of snacks they grabbed from a nearby store, settling on a kimbap triangle and a chocolate bar. “It’s nice, though.”

“‘Cold’ doesn’t sound too nice, but suit yourself,” Baekhyun says. He leans back, arm brushing against Yixing. “How’s hyung?”

“Foolishly sentimental,” Yixing snorts. “But happy.”

“Good,” says Baekhyun next to him, voice soft. “He deserves it.”

“He does.”

Baekhyun stands up after a moment, going to his bag and taking out the champagne bottle they brought. He tilts his head, nodding his head at Yixing in a question. “You think it’s still good to drink?”

“Dunno,” Yixing shrugs. “But it’s alcohol, so you know.” Alcohol’s always good, isn’t it?

“Maybe we should just pick up soju from the convenience store.”

“Or we could make today special and still drink warm champagne even if it’s kinda gross, because it’s expensive and it’s Junmyeon’s birthday.”

Pursued lips, then a quick nod. “You’re right. Want some?” Baekhyun asks, ready to open the bottle with the corkscrew he brought along.

“Not yet, thanks.”

“Okay. Can’t promise there will be any left for you, though.” The bottle fizzles and spills when it opens, and Baekhyun laughs. “Well, looks like it’s just fine, huh?”

Yixing smiles, watches as Baekhyun runs to Junmyeon—oh _God_.

Baekhyun spills about half the bottle on the top of Junmyeon’s head, who turns to him, sputtering the drink sliding down his face. “Baekhyun!” he shrieks, but it quickly turns into a stunned laugh, and Baekhyun’s own cackles soon joins him.

Yixing laughs too, watching as Baekhyun kisses Junmyeon deep despite being soaked in champagne—Yixing really paid a _lot_ for that bottle, but it’s not like he minds—and there’s something that turns and swoops deliciously in his stomach.

Later, Junmyeon has no choice but to wash off the alcohol from his skin with the sea water. Thankfully, they brought a change of clothes along with them, leaving the rest of their (small) bags in their room. If Junmyeon smells of champagne and salt for the rest of the evening, no one minds.

They stay to watch the sunset, because Baekhyun asks them to. Junmyeon agrees, nodding quickly, turning hopeful eyes to Yixing. Who is Yixing to say no, anyway?

They watch as the sun makes it journey towards the Yellow Sea, all three of them at the shore, feet in the sand. Baekhyun sits in the centre—because he always does—bringing Yixing’s and Junmyeon’s hands into his lap, playing distractedly with their fingers.

“Happy birthday, Junmyeon-hyung,” Baekhyun says softly, voice almost singing in the late evening.

“Happy birthday, Junmyeon-ah,” Yixing says in turn.

Though Junmyeon doesn’t answer them, the soft smile on his face grows, sighing contentedly, eyes never once leaving the sea. His hand catches both Yixing’s and Baekhyun’s at once, squeezing gently, and Yixing thinks it’s enough.

**Author's Note:**

> If you've made it this far, thank you for reading! Any and all support is always greatly appreciated. ♥


End file.
